1. Field of Invention
This invention relates generally to a brief case integrated with a loose-leaf binder to form a brief case book, and more particularly to a high-security brief case book having front and rear covers which when superposed to close the case are then joined together by a slide fastener whose slider is engageable by the clamping jaws of a key-operated locking mechanism whereby access to the book is restricted to those holding a key to the mechanism.
2. Status of Prior Art
A brief case is a flat rectangular bag made of flexible material, such as leather or fabric, designed to carry legal briefs or other papers. A conventional brief case is provided with a slide fastener or zipper which when unzipped provides access to the interior of the case.
A standard loose-leaf binder is provided with front and rear panels hinged to opposing edges of a holder having a series of rings thereon operated by a finger key which opens the rings to receive the punched holes of loose-leaf paper sheets.
It is known to integrate a loose-leaf holder with a brief case to create a book whose pages are loose-leaf sheets. Thus the Kranhold patent 2,115,993 discloses a brief case book in which the leather covers of the case are hinged which a backbone on which rings are mounted to engage loose-leaf sheets. The Kranhold book is provided with a zipper to fasten the covers together, the slider of the zipper being engaged by the shackle of a lock that dangles from the book. Similar brief case books whose pages are loose-leaf sheets are shown in the Perlin patent 2,502,275, the Carrasco patent 2,778,397 and the Schade et al. patent 2,079,817.
As pointed out in the Schade et al. patent, when a brief case book is closed, it then has the appearance of a conventional brief case and one is not then aware that within the case is a loose-leaf binder holding the pages of a book. In the context of the present invention, the advantage of a brief case book is not only that the book looks like a brief case, but also that the brief case can be used to carry not only loose-leaf sheets, but other items useful to the holder of the book.
Thus should the director of a major corporation be scheduled to make a presentation to company officers in the company's board room, in the brief case book brought by the director to the board room are the notes he requires for the presentation, these being typed on the loose-leaf sheets. Also stored in the brief case book are pens and other small items the director may need in the course of his presentation.
The main concern of the present invention is with security, for should the contents of the brief case book carried by the director be highly confidential, it is vital that access to the book be denied to all personnel other than the director or whomever else is authorized to possess a key that can unlock the book.
While the Kranhold brief case book is provided with a key-operated lock that engages the zipper slider of the zipper and dangles from the book, this lock affords a low measure of security, for instead of using a key, it is possible to twist the lock to decouple it from the zipper slider.
It is known to provide a key-operated locking mechanism for the slide fastener of a money pouch, a mail pouch or other forms of flexible containers. Among the patents disclosing such zipper-locking mechanisms are the following:
______________________________________ Hart - 3,070,986 Lock Type Keeper Mechanism for a Slide Fastener Rifkin - 1,950,414 Lock for Separable Fasteners Rifkin - 3,759,073 Flexible Walled Security Container ______________________________________
While these patents disclose various types of key-operated looking mechanisms for zipper-type slide fasteners, the arrangements disclosed therein are unsuitable for a brief case book.